The present invention relates to a sampler cup in which a sample of molten iron is treated with tellurium to enable determination of the solidus temperature and the carbon content of the sample. Various prior art patents, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,059,996 and 4,261,740 discuss the placement of quantities of tellurium in sample cups for the purpose of delaying graphite formation so that the cooling curve of a hypereutetic iron sample can be obtained to provide a usable liquidus arrest temperature for carbon determination.
In the prior art, in addition to the use of blobs of material containing tellurium, the prior art also includes use of a wash of tellurium which covers the inside walls of the crucible and bottom of the crucible. These prior art techniques do not involve the use of a standardized amount of tellurium or a consistent location of the tellurium in each sample cup. As a result, non-uniform samples were produced and the test results were not always representative or comparable.